Bugs vs Flowers

[Verity Darkwaters]

So, I used to grow Marigolds around the house they kept bugs and the skeeters at bay. I know certain herbs do too. What other flowers, if any, will help keep the bugs away. Where I like the bugs, mainly ants (the mean red biting ones) and the mosquitoes go crazy and I'd like to maybe minimize some of it by putting some of these plants on my balcony.

 

[Corzhens]

We are now in search of ladybugs because the aphids are feasting on our chili plant and also the matured sugar apple (fruits in the tree). I had read in this site that ladybugs eat aphids and it is a good deterrent against aphids. Those white pets are ruining the leaves of the red pepper and the maturing fruits of our sugar apple is destroyed by the aphids that inhabit the gaps of the skin.

 

[marlingardener]

Verity, supposedly citronella geraniums repel mosquitoes. It is a variety of geranium grown for its scent, not for flowers and is usually available at big box stores or nurseries. Biting ants, especially the red fire ants, are best controlled by chemical methods. I hate to say it, but there aren't any proven home remedies (club soda, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, etc.) that actually work. Gloves, vigilance, and carrying a shaker of fire ant killer are the only preventive measures I know of.
Ladybugs do take care of aphids, but once the aphids are gone, the ladybugs move on.

 

[Verity Darkwaters]

Thank you guys for your replies. I have a home remedy for the ants that works great, but I don't like how the remedy looks with the white dust along edges of everything. I have seen the Citronella Geraniums and will have to grab some. Maybe it will be a little science experiment! I didn't know lady bugs were useful that way. I just remember playing with them as a kid.